Out with the old

With national champagne glasses empty, and “Happy New Year” streamers and noisemakers piled high in our garbage bins, I think it’s fair to say the sobering-up time -- or wake-up time -- starts now. Pick whatever action applies most appropriately in your mind.

The games being played in Parliament are games that we Canadians have sanctioned. We were only too happy to wear a blindfold in 2009 – better to ignore what was happening than deal with the ugliness of denying – and then embracing – the need for stimulus funding, growing unemployment, massive fraud and pork barrel spending with taxpayer money, removal of funding from the arts, a military mission in a far-off land doomed to failure, allegations of torture, undermining global efforts at a climate deal… and now, another proroguing of Parliament. Why?

Our Government has essentially become undemocratic and unscrupulous – substitute whatever other words you like: unprincipled; dishonest; deceitful; untrustworthy. It’s no wonder China laughs at us when we invoke the language of “democratic reform” – we can’t even practice what we preach!

This is not as simple as a partisan argument against the Conservatives... though admittedly, they have become rather skillful practitioners of cloak and dagger politics (more so than even the Liberals) in a very short time. But somehow, when Chretien prorogued Parliament or shrugged off a scandal, it didn’t bring the same kind of deep-seated, pit-of-the-stomach sickness as when Harper does it. Nor did Chretien’s actions instigate the same kind of scathing criticism from the international community – certainly not to the point where it undermined our reputation around the world and challenged our perception of ourselves. Somehow, Chretien (and before him Trudeau) had his finger on enough pulses around the country that a majority of Canadians were in tune and in agreement with his leadership and party.

Harper, on the other hand, is happily remaking Canada as a neo-conservative nation, installing the requisite ideological Senators, ambassadors and civil servants, and challenging conventions of open communication and of proper language and access to information. (Sadly, I’m not sure Iggy would be much different.) The question is, are we Canadians satisfied with this approach? Will Canadians look back in 10 years and say: “You know, Stephen Harper really knew what Canadians wanted. He really spoke for us and represented the best of Canada.”

I certainly hope not.

Canadians must not accept the lowest common denominator in Ottawa. We must remove our blindfolds and reengage with our systems of democracy. To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, Canadians must be the change we want to see in the world. That is our challenge in 2010 – demand better political leadership, demand better choices by our parliamentarians, demand honest and open interaction with our government, so we can hold them to account and help rebuild Canada’s international reputation as a fair and just nation.

It won’t be easy, I admit. But given the current state of affairs, each of us must feel a responsibility to get involved in local activities. This can be a local environmental group, a poverty rights group, or even a campaign for Member of Parliament… we all must work to promote change for the better. I, for one, have made that my resolution in 2010. Stay tuned, I hope to have some interesting information to pass along shortly.

Happy New Year, dear readers. May the year be filled with health, wealth and happiness for you and your loved ones.

*****
UPDATE -- 4 January 2010

I just saw this -- Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament, Canadians Against Suspending Parliament and Canadians for a Democratic Parliament -- in my morning email tour and felt it would be worth sharing with you. Here's a great way to easily reengage with the political system from the comfort of your armchair in 2010 -- out with the old, indeed!